AI Damage2020 Hyundai Accent: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Hyundai Accent filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and air bags. The maker issued 69 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 2
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 69
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 33% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 17% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 17% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 8% of all complaints
- Engine: 4 complaints (33% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Air bags: 2 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Structure: 2 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- CVT
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 35 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 3 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The vehicle was a total loss with front and rear damage and the airbag failed to deploy. Nobody at the local dealership where the car was purchased in may 2020 will discuss the issue nor am I able to contact any breathing person at hyundai corporate to discuss this issue.
Airbag light turned on my dashboard and when I took it to the dealership -regional Hyundai in broken arrow in Oklahoma I was told by the rep that helped me that there is a defect in the passenger airbag and that it would cost me about 1700.00 usd to fix it.
The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the exterior passenger's front and rear door handles detached while attempting to open the doors. The contact was able to reattach the door handles for the front and rear passenger doors. The contact stated that the interior door handle also detached.
The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, smoke was emitting from the vehicle. The contact was inside her residence and noticed the smoke from her window. Unknown if the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the fire spread to another parked vehicle and caused structural damage to the building.
It wasn't long after purchasing that I began experiencing difficulties with it. The car will shut off when it comes to a complete stop or even if I s for a brief moment to switch gears, for example when parallel parking.
There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 103,300.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V354000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available.
My vehicle does the same thing as NHTSA ID Number: 11423521 and now I know not to bother taking it in for service for this issue. I was validated when I read that complaint as I have and continue to experience the same non-responsive issue when I accelerate from a complete stop ever since the vehicle was purchased…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,428 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 32% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Accent has 38 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 12, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service…
Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front…
- In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc…
In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade is being made available to customers upon request. This…
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector…
This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front windows.
- In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method…
In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
- Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service…
Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the…
- A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) that had alleged that certain 2011 – 2022 model…
A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) that had alleged that certain 2011 – 2022 model year Hyundai vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer (called the “Class Vehicles”) contain…
- Certain 2020-2021MY Accent (HC) vehicles may experience an illuminated warning light due to the following…
Certain 2020-2021MY Accent (HC) vehicles may experience an illuminated warning light due to the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) listed below: ⢠TCU DTC Codes: P0730, P0731, P0741, P0867, P1603 Follow the…
NHTSA lists 69 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Hyundai Accent?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, air bags, structure. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (17%), windows, sunroof (17%), airbag warning light (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Hyundai Accent?
NHTSA lists 69 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Hyundai Accent from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.